This is definitely one of those very special and rare finds. It isn’t exactly a barn find, it’s more of a garage find, but that’s alright given what it is! It’s the amazing story of a fully documented, truly original, first-year Shelby GT 350.

I’m just going to hit on the important parts of this story, as it is really worth your time to read the whole thing. You can find the story from our friends at Hot Rod Magazine,

The story of the Shelby Mustang starts with Lee Iacocca’s desire to build a low-cost Corvette beating performance car. He asked Cobra creator Carroll Shelby to make it happen. He started with a lightweight, modestly equipped Mustang GT 2+2 fastback, increased output by about 35 hp, took out the back seat, modified suspension to improve handling, added some unique pieces like steering wheel and mags, and thus the Shelby GT 350 was born. Original versions came with four speed transmissions only and no A/C.

Corvette-beating performance? Yes!

High volume dealer, Galpin Ford in San Fernando, California signed on to be among the first Shelby dealers. One of the cars that passed through their lot was chassis 5S492. HRM described it as “the quintessential 1965 Shelby,” painted in Wimbledon White with the now-classic blue Shelby stripes, Shelby specific Cragar mag wheels, side-exit exhaust pipes, and importantly, “the 306hp Hi-Po 289 with all the Shelby goodies, including the rare optional finned aluminum oil pan.”

This car was actually sold by a different dealer, and was used by its original owner for drag racing and Mustang rally events throughout Southern California until 1974, when, with about 44,000 miles, its engine was removed for freshening and then never driven again. The owner finally sold the car in 2009 and the new owner put it through the Barrett-Jackson auction in 2012.

What happened next is very cool. Barrett-Jackson owners recognized this “as-found” car was too special to restore. So they gathered all its original parts and pieces, reassembled and serviced the Mustang, making sure not to remove any original parts. Then they ran the car through their auction, at no reserve.

The buyer ended up being Beau Boeckmann (son of Galpin’s Bert and president of the Galpin Auto Collection), who bought this very special Shelby for $385,000, and who has carefully maintained the car to remain as original as possible, with no plans to ever restore it.

What a great story this is! Even if you are not into Mustangs or its Shelby variants, this is one cool car. This museum is now definitely on my bucket list to visit, with this Mustang as the jewel in the crown. And I am glad to learn that Boeckmann will make sure his Shelby is continued to be driven, as he takes it every August to the Monterey Car Week as well as to other So Cal events, where people get to enjoy seeing it in use. And it’s very cool that Beau Boeckmann appreciates and maintains its originality too. Have any of our readers seen this car?

All photos courtesy of Hot Rod Magazine.